A – We cannot have a divided heart about God. He wants our whole devotion, faith and trust in him. We do not demonstrate the reverence He deserves if we rely on ourselves or others more than God. We can put our whole hearts in faith in Him.
R – Heavenly Father, we walk in a holy fear of you. You have no limits or peers – you are the only God. Help us to love and serve you today wholeheartedly. You are a God who wants the best for us.
S – May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you
2 Thessalonians 3:16 CSB
O – Commentary:
Paul’s concern was for peace within the church through the unity of all members obeying the truth. The Lord is the source of peace (cf. 1 Thes. 5:23) and Paul prayed that He would bestow this on the Christians in Thessalonica. A Christian and a church enjoy peace when they are rightly related to the will of God. Paul prayed that this would be the Thessalonians’ condition at all times regardless of their circumstances, even in persecution.
“2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
A – Peace is one of the greatest promises one receives in a relationship with God. No matter what you are facing, you can have peace that God’s got it. The challenge is usually the battle of our will versus God’s will. He offers his presence, power and peace. We offer our strength, gifts and talents. When we do things on our own, those attributes are all we have. When we invite God into it, we have those and all of Him – big difference.
R – Heavenly Father, you alone are worthy of all praise and honor. We choose your will over our own today. We surrender our thoughts, words, actions, gifts and talents to you. We invite your Holy Spirit to bring all of your character into our lives. We will walk in your power, presence and peace.
S – A ruler can be persuaded through patience, and a gentle tongue can break a bone
Proverbs 25:15 CSB
O – Commentary:
Patience and a gentle (lit., “soft”) tongue (cf. 15:1) can be unusually influential, accomplishing far more than loss of temper and harsh words. A soft tongue breaking a hard bone is an unusual figure of speech-how can a tongue break a bone? The idea is that softly spoken words can accomplish difficult things. Also persuading a ruler to follow some difficult course of action takes patience.
A – Two great attributes that are not easy to obtain – patience and gentleness. Both are fruits of the Spirit. Both make an impact not suddenly but over the longer run. We need to look at our journey with God as a marathon. There are times to act quickly. Most of the time, staying the course and being a light in the journey is important.
R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you. We step towards you on this relationship journey we are on with you. Give us patience and gentleness to display another aspect of your character.
S – In view of this, we always pray for you that our God will make you worthy of his calling, and by his power fulfill your every desire to do good and your work produced by faith,
2 Thessalonians 1:11 CSB
O – Commentary:
Paul and his colleagues habitually prayed for the Thessalonians. Their spiritual welfare was always on the apostles’ hearts.
They prayed that their God (the apostles’ and the Thessalonians) would reckon or declare the readers worthy of the calling they had received, to come to God through faith in Jesus Christ (cf. Rom. 8:30; Eph. 4:1; 1 Thes. 4:7). Paul consistently made what God has done for believers the basis of his appeals for them to lead lives in keeping with their destiny. Christians do not live worthily in order to obtain salvation but because they have been granted salvation.
A second request was that God would bring to full expression every good purpose of theirs to glorify God, and every act motivated by their faith in God. Both motives and actions have their source in God (Phil. 2:13); thus they are accomplished by His power.
2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
A – This is a great prayer for us. We want to be worthy of our calling, accomplishing every good purpose by our faith. This aligns our thoughts, words and actions with God to do this by His power.
R – Heavenly Father, we acknowledge you are the only true God. We ask that you meet us in our faith and we accomplish your purposes through our faith and your power. We desire to walk worthy of your calling.
S – Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 CSB
O – Commentary:
5:16. Greek ethics often listed succinct statements one after another as Paul does here. Many biblical psalms associate rejoicing with celebration and worship (e.g., Ps 9:14; 33:1; 47:1; 95:2; 149:1–5); here it is thus naturally linked with prayer and thanksgiving (1 Thess 5:17–18).
5:17. Even the strictest pietists of Judaism did not pray all day; but they prayed regularly, much and faithfully. “Pray without ceasing” could mean this type of prayer or to carry the attitude of prayer with oneself throughout the day, not just in corporate worship or personal quiet times.
5:18. Pagans who recognized that Fate or some god was sovereign over everything acknowledged that one should accept whatever comes or even give thanks for it. For Paul, those who trust God’s sovereignty and love can give thanks in every situation.
A – Some of us just went through the storm of the century. No exaggeration – no storm has hit Tampa Bay like that in over 100 years. This verse jumps out today because even in this week’s challenge – all of this is true. We can rejoice in the safety, security and hope of knowing Christ. We are grateful.
R – Heavenly Father, we know that you are God and there is none like you. We are grateful for your mercy and grace in our times of need. Help us walk through today sharing your love with others.
S – Restore us, God; make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved.
Psalms 80:3 CSB
O – Commentary:
This line is repeated in Ps 80:7 and 80:19, but the name of God is expanded each time. Here in v. 3, the generic name for God as creator is used in Hebrew: elohim. In v. 7 and 80:14, the Hebrew text uses elohim tseva’oth, which may be rendered “God of hosts” or “God of armies.” Finally, in v. 19, yhwh elohim tseva’oth is used, which means “Yahweh God of hosts”; this is an echo of v. 4, which also uses this title
A—God wants us to return to Him. Different aspects of God’s character appeal to people, but the important thing is that people return to a relationship with Him.
R – Heavenly Father, your character is true. You desire a relationship with us and we step toward you today in our thoughts, words and actions. We pray for your presence and peace as we face today’s challenges.
S – Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 CSB
O – Commentary:
Paul and his fellow missionaries were veterans; they had been tried and tested for years. God would not have blessed their work if their motivation had not been right. Paul saw himself as a steward entrusted by God to carry His message of salvation to lost men and women (cf. 1 Cor. 9:17). Paul did not choose his work; God selected him for the high calling of proclaiming the gospel. This responsibility was most significant to Paul, who viewed himself as under God’s constant scrutiny. So he would not dare serve with the wrong motives.
“1 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
A – Another word for examine is “tests.” Like Paul, all we think, say and do are under God’s watch. Some believe God tests us or watches us to see us fail. I think he is observing to see us grow and win. When we hit the mark, he is like a proud parent of the growth. When we don’t, his love doesn’t waiver and he desires us more.
R – Heavenly Father, you are all-knowing and you have no lack. Thank you for trusting us with the message of the gospel. We desire to grow in our faith and knowledge of you.
S – He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; 71 he brought him from tending ewes to be shepherd over his people Jacob—over Israel, his inheritance. 72 He shepherded them with a pure heart and guided them with his skillful hands.
Psalms 78:70–72 CSB
O – God chose David not because he was perfect or sinless. David’s faith was true loyalty and unyielding trust in the Lord. Along with his faith, David led with wisdom and knowledge.
A – Our faith and trust in God is an important part of our walk with God. We must continue to grow in it. As we do, we will see God grow every aspect of us including our ability to lead and interact with others.
R – Heavenly Father, you are the only God. Help us to grow in our faith and trust in you. We want to know you more and our faith helps us to see more of your character and promise.
S – Above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ, to which you were also called in one body, rule your hearts. And be thankful
Colossians 3:14–15 CSB
O – Commentary:
3:14. But over all these virtues Christians are to put on love. As Paul wrote elsewhere, “The greatest of these is love” (1 Cor. 13:13). In one’s catalog of virtues love should be the cover, because it is of supreme importance and is the perfect bond, holding them all together in perfect unity.
3:15. Believers are also to let the peace of Christ rule in their hearts because they are called to peace as members of one body. The closer believers are to Christ (and His likeness), the closer they are to each other. In interpersonal relationships “peace” (transcendent, God-given tranquility) should rule (brabeuetō, “arbitrate, decide every debate”; a word used only here in the NT; cf. katabrabeuetō, “decide against,” 2:18).
“Colossians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
A – Each day, we should put on love for God and other people. It helps us to fulfill the two great commandments that Jesus gave us. It should bring us to God-given peace. That is the peace that passes our understanding and guards our hearts and minds through Christ.
R – Heavenly Father, we surrender and worship You today. With so much going on, we need your peace. We choose to love You and others first as You command us. In that genuine love, we ask for a peace that supersedes our thoughts and hearts.
S – And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.
Colossians 2:13–15 CSB
O – We humanly could not do anything to pay the debt for our sin. In our birth, we were doomed for death. Christ’s crucifixion, death and resurrection paid the debt of that sin on the cross. In doing so, he conquered all the entities that oppose God.
A – This is the victory that comes in a relationship with Christ. He pays the price for our sin and gives us access to a personal relationship with God. The power of the cross in our lives is evident when we choose to walk in the freedom Christ paid for in his death. No entity is bigger than our God.
R – Heavenly Father, we are grateful for the work of the cross. We know and accept the forgiveness for our sins. Thank you for desiring a relationship with us so much that Jesus would pay that price. We choose to walk in the freedom his blood purchased for us.
Just Add Water . Chris Bonham 